Wine Rack GIVEAWAY + a book to help you stock it!

Sadly the close to our blogaversary month is coming to and end…*sigh*You knew it would happen. But not before one last GIVEAWAY! Yes, I hope you’ve been enjoying this (because I can’t keep it up forever tee hee) So to end the month on a high note, I thought you might like this…

So what goes perfectly with pasta you ask? VINO! Yes, wine! & that’s what this giveaway is all about.

I received a complimentary copy of the book ”Wine Secrets – Advice from Winemakers, Sommeliers, and Connoisseurs” by Marnie Old recently to review. I was intrigued. I am a wine drinker but I must admit I don’t know much about wines. I do know what I like, preferably white & not too sweet not too dry! I will drink Reds on occasion & preferably in Italy LOL But then again I drink fizzy water there too (something about when in Rome ; ) My favorite wine is a Tocai Friulano by Borgo San Daniele (yes it’s Italian, I know you’re not surprised) or Prosecco (preferably pink) but when it comes to pairings or picking out bottles in a store I am at a loss…

Now I don’t have to be thanks to the help of this book. Marnie calls on forty of the world’s most renowned wine experts to share their inside tips, techniques, and wisdom from their years of experience. The book covers such topics as:

White vs. Red: Differences run more than skin deep

How to taste wines like a pro

How to guesstimate wine style from packaging clues

How, when, & why to send back a bottle of wine

How to preserve open wine (Yes, you can freeze it) **worth the admission price alone ; ) **

How to use leftover wine in the kitchen **my kinda post**

and oh so much more…

You know you want a copy of this book & guess what? We’re GIVING ONE copy away! & well because we love you so much, *crowd gasps* we’re ALSO throwing in an oh so snappy Le Rustiq 6 Bottle WINE RACK compliments of the lovely and talented Barbara from Vino Luci! *crowd roars* (note: wine is NOT included ; ) good try though!) so you can use the book to stock your rack *wink wink*

How gaw-geous is that? Come on, it’s pretty fab! In my best announcer voice & hands pointing to item, *ehem* Vintage View has designed this rack while keeping elegant design in mind. This rustic black Vintage View 6 bottle wine rack features scroll work on the top to finish off their most popular size with a touch of grace. This innovative racking system stores bottles with the labels facing out for a dynamic presentation and easy accessibility to the wine you want. Exceptionally flexible, easy to install and surprisingly affordable, stores from as few as 6 bottles to many thousands when used as a system. It also provides the perfect airflow between bottles. Size: 27″H x 8-1/2″W Bottle capacities are maximums when storing standard Bordeaux 750mL bottles. This wine rack is a small unit version of the systems used by Whole Foods for their wine store racking systems.

www.vinoluci.com is a fantastic site for all things VINO! They have beautiful wine accessories (I am in LURVE with the knobstoppers, & the Theirs wine bottle opener among MANY other items) & that’s not all folks, they have food and entertaining items as well! Don’t take my word for it, go ahead & click on over ; ) You’ll be happy you did!

Oh yeah, So I bet you want to know how to enter..Just leave a comment as to what your favorite wine is. Only one comment allowed per person (duplicates will be flogged, okay I meant disqualified) & is limited to US ADDRESSES only! Giveaway is open until 12pm MONDAY FEBRUARY 1st! Winner will be drawn by a random number generator!

Cakebread Merlot comes to mind right off hand, but there are so many good wines to choose from, this one is hard, Miss Paula! Of course a bottle of Cristal would look pretty dang snazzy on this precious wine rack, so I just may have to make a trip to Napa Valley and get back to

Oh I am a Zinfandel girl through and through- and not the blush! I like the full body, super heady with lots of zip red. The spicier the better! I don’t like my wines to have any sweetness to them, and I am drown to the more full bodied ones. Preferably red.

I am generally a fan of reds, BUT I recently had a sample of this white at Whole Foods and really really REALLY like it! It is the CMS White by Hedges which is a blend of Chardonnay, Marsanne, and Sauvignon Blanc (hence the name). It is a good wine for $10.

I’ve been tasting and experimenting with pairings, etc. for about 3 years now on my own. I’ve learned a lot about my own preferences and I’ve started getting a sense of how to describe my taste of the wine. I talk to makers and small store owners, etc just to increase knowledge and understanding. I love the learning and even if I don’t like something, I never feel it was a waste of money (except 1x but I won’t go there) it was another “learning note”. 😀

So, what is my favorite? Depends on time of year but overall, I like the Thomas Jefferson Viogner. (VA wine) In winter months, I love the Claret by Coppola.

Choosing a favorite wine is extremely hard for me. I’d have to say Lehman’s Clancy’s is probably my favorite wine that I can afford on a regular basis. It’s a blend that is strong on the Cabernet side. It’s smooth and very full bodied.

Ciao. If you like strong white wine: Angimbè from Cusumano and La Segreta from Planeta. Both from Sicily.
From my region (Piedmont) I suggest Coppo Wines: Pomorosso (Barbera) for red and Riserva Coppo (80% Pinot 20% Chardonnay) for white.
I love wine. This evening I’ll have dinner in a Vineria: taste of food and delicious wine.

While I enjoy a good Chardonnay, I have had some strange (possible) allergic reactions the last couple of times. So, I stick to Reisling, since I know I can drink and drink and drink it without issue. 🙂

Wow this would rock my world to win both these sweet gifts….so a wine a wine I like there are a few that rate highly on my list….Aquila Sean Thackery 2003…local guy from Bolinas,California renaissance wine maker for sure.

I’m a beginner wine snob… I like sweeter white wines, like Rieslings and Pinot Grigio. The wine rack would look STELLAH in my kitchen so the beautiful wine bottles will be on display, instead of hiding in the dungeon… er, pantry! Please pick me, Paula! 🙂

A couple of year ago I was trying terrible hard to get into wines. I mean everyone drinks them! Why couldn’t I find one that made go crazy in anticipation? Then a good friend bought me the beginning of my love affair with wine; a bottle of Rancho Sisquoc Riesling. It was sweet but not too sweet that I needed a straw. After that I slowly made my way to the reds and now I love it all. But that first wine, will always hold a special place in my heart.

My new favorite red is the Santa Rita Medalla Real Single Estate Carmenere. It’s a grape mainly found in Chile that looks, grows, ripens, even tastes like a Merlot, but it has subtle differences. It’s smoother & has hints of dark chocolate on the finish! Guarantee you will love it if you like red wine!

For reds, its pretty hard for me to narrow it down to a specific label, but I love full bodied reds – especially Zinfandels & Petit Syrahs. As for white, I’m partial to Chardonnay (love Cakebread) and Sauvignon Blanc in the summer.

We have a local winery (Pheasant Hollow Winery) here in southern Illinois that has a wine I really like, (And, it’s award winning!) It’s called Black and Blue, and is made with blackberries and blueberries.
Would love to win the book and wine rack

My favorite wine is Santa Margarita Pino Grigio, crisp and fruity and just right with my spicy dishes. I also love Pinot Noir and almost any other great tasting wines from South Africa and Chille. (I think I just love wine). The wine rack is adorable!

My favorite wine for this time of year(winter) is the Stags Leap “Ne Cede Malis” Napa Valley Proprietary Red Wine. It’s made from the oldest block of Petite Sirah planted on the Stags Leap property. There are also a few other varieties (mixed blacks) that are inter planted in this vineyard that was planted before prohibition. Imagine you are picking and eating blackberries on a warm summers day right from a thicket somewhere in the middle of a field. Those warm blackberries with touches of brown sugar and smoky vanilla are what you will taste in this wine. PS: Ne Cede Malis means don’t give in to misfortune.

It’s so hard for me to choose a favorite wine because I have come across so many I love. I tend to lean towards sweet wines, and I would say that Dolce Rosso is my current favorite (although that could change next week, lol).

Pinot Grigio is my fave all around go to wine. Riesling would be a fave sweet wine. For very special occasions I choose Ice Wine…so far my fave is made in Canada at Inniskillin Winery – super sweet and a very cool process to make it. Wine rack is great. Thanks for the givaway!! And congrats again on your blogaversary.

My husband and I are making an effort to visit as many of the wineries here in Michigan as possible so we can learn more about wine. And, drink free wine…. My favorite at the moment is the Shady Lane Cellars dry Reisling.